AEA Campaign Cash Sparks Republican Ballot Battle

Madison resident and long-time Republican activist Tom Scovill told WHNT News 19 that state GOP leaders are now reviewing his proposal to block three State Senate candidates from appearing on the primary ballot due to their acceptance of campaign funds from the Alabama Education Association. Scovill said he recently wrote a letter to Alabama Republican Party Chair Bill Armistead, and was told that the matter will be reviewed after qualifying ends on Friday.

Records obtained by WHNT News 19 show that the three candidates accepted a total of $230,000 worth of campaign money from AEA since last summer. Rep. Todd Greeson (R-Ider) of DeKalb County is one of the GOP candidates who received AEA funding. According to campaign finance reports, Greeson received a check totaling $50,000 from AEA in June.

Scovill said AEA-backed candidates should be banned from competing in GOP primaries since the organization has consistently tried to block major Republican legislation, including the Alabama Accountability Act. Scovill also said that AEA gives more than four times to Democrats when compared to what Republicans get.

“They [AEA] want to get Republicans into office that will do their bidding, and repeal these laws or water them down,” said Scovill. “The AEA basically funds the Democrat Party, so you cannot be with the AEA and not also with the Democrats.”

Last year the Alabama Republican Party’s Executive Steering Committee asked candidates not to take money from AEA.

Records show that the AEA has given nearly $1.2 million to 57 different candidates in the current election cycle. 54 of those 57 candidates are Democrats.